Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1; D. SOHOFIBLD.

CAR GOUPLING.

N, PETERS. Phummmgmpmr. wnhingwn. n.0.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

D. SOHOFIELD.

GAR GOUPLING.

110.391,27?. Patented Oot. 16, 1888.

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' ATENT DFFICE.

DANIEL SCHOFIELD, OF CAMDEN, NEW JERSEY.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 391,277, dated October 16, 1888.

Application filed July 2, 188B. Serial No. 218,823. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL SCHOFIELD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Camden, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a'specilication.

My invention relates to that class of carcouplings which are adapted to couple cars having draw-heads of different heights, and in which the coupling or uncoupling of the cars is eiected without the necessity of the brakeman going between the cars, my invention consisting of certain details of construction, fully described and speciticall y claimed hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional View ol' part of the frame of a railroad-car having a draw-head provided with coupling devices in accordance with myinvention, said devices being shown as in engage` ment with the projecting link ofthe adjoining car. Fig. 2 is a similar section showing by full lines the position of the parts when the coupling is being effected, and by dotted lines the position when nncoupling. Fig. Sis a sectional plan diew of the coupling on a reduced scale, and Fig. et is a view illustrating a modified construction of some of the parts.

A represents the forked draw and bumper head et' the car, to a pin, a, in the upper portion of which is hung a coupling-ringer, B, which is acted upon by a spring, b, connected t0 a pin, d, carried by brackets e on the top of the draw-head, said spring serving to maintain the coupling-linger in a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 1. lVhen in this position, the lower end of the finger engages with a toe, D, hung to a shaft, f, carried by brackets g on the under part of the draw-head, this toe being acted upon by a spring, h, which tends to lift the free end of the toe into position for engagement with the free end of the finger B, as shown in Fig. 1, movement of the toe in this direction being limited by contactofstop-lugstl with the brackets g on the under side of the drawhead.

To suitable bearings in the top and bottom bars of the draw-head, near the inner end of the latter, is adapted a screw-shaft, F, which is confined vertically to the draw-head, but is free to turn in its bearings, the lower end of the sc1ewshaft having a crank, m, or other equivalent means whereby it may be readily turned. The screw-shaft F is adapted to a nut, n, embedded in the inner end of the shank p of a link, G, which may be turned around so as to be inlinelongitudinally with the drawhead, and so as to project therefrom for engagement with the swinging nger of an adjacent coupling, as shown by dotted lines in Figs. l and 3; or it may be swung around to one side, so as to be out of the way when its use as a coupling-link is not desired, as shown by full linesin Fig. 3, and by turning the screwshaft Fthe link G may be raised or lowered to suit theheight of the coupling-head with which it has to engage.

The coupling-link may be supported enmost cases it is preferable to provide the coupling-finger B with opposite projecting lugs, s, which serve t0 aid in supporting the link and provide a fulerum on which the link is free to swing, so that the throw of its outer end may be considerably more than the movement imparted to the inner end by the screw-shaft F.

When two cars provided with myirnproved coupling are to be coupled together, the link of one car is thrown to one side, and that of the other permitted to project longitudinally beyond the draw-head, so that as the two cars approach each other this link will strike the coupling-finger B of the other head and force the same rearward, as shown by full lines in Fig. 2, the movement continuing until the end of the link clears the pin, whereupon the latter will, by reason of the spring b, be restored to the vertical position, its free end coiningin contact with the toe D, so as to prevent withdrawal ofthe link.

In order to u'ncouple the cars, it is simply necessary to depress the toe D until it is free from engagement with the end of the pin B, whereupon the latter can swing outward as soon as any attempt is made to withdraw the link. (See dotted lines, Fig. 2.) The shaftf, carrying the tee D, is extended laterally to for the brakeman to go between the cars in order to operate said toe; and it will be understood that any manipulation of the screw-shaft F necessary to effect the raising or lowering of the outer projecting end of the link is effected before the cars approach each other.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modication of my tirely by the screw-rod, if desired, although in any desired length, so that it is not necessary IOO invention, in which plate-springs are employed in place of coiled springs, for the purpose of restoring the coupling-finger and its retainingtoe to their normal positionsy after they have been removed therefrom, and in Which the screw-shaft is adapted to threaded openings in the draw-head, the link being vertically conned to said shaft.

It will be evident that the link of my irnproved coupling may be connected by a pinto the draw-head of any ordinary link-andpin coupler, and that an ordinary link may be coupled to myimproved draw-head by engagement with the finger B of the same.

Having thus described my invention, Iclaini i and desire to secure by Letters Patent-d to their normal positions after they have been moved therefrom, all substantially as specified.

2. The combination of the coupling-head with the link having a shank pivoted to the head near its inner end, and free to swing so as to project longitudinally from thevhead for coupling, or laterally from the head when not in use, all substantially as specilied.

3. The combination of the coupling-link and the screw-shaft with the link controlled by said screw-shaft and raised and lowered by the turning of the same, all substantially as speciiied.

4. rlhe combination of the coupling-head and the screw-shaft adapted to bearings therein with the link having anut adapted to said screw-shaft, all substantially as specified.

5. The combination of the coupling-head, the coupling-finger having projecting lugs, the screw-shaft at the rear of the coupling-head, and the coupling-link having a bearing upon the projecting lugs of the couplingfinger and controlled as to its vertical position by said screw-shaft, all substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I havesig'ned my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL SCHOFIELD. 

